If you’re one of those who yearn for an authentic travel experience in Nepal, I suggest you plan your itinerary around October – November so you can celebrate Tihar, the wonderful Festival of Lights, one of the most important Hindu festivals in the country.
Tihar, also known as Deepawali, is a five-day-long festival celebrated each year after the Dashain Festival, during the month of Kartik (usually in October – November). After Dashain, it is the second most important Hindu festival in Nepal.
There are many legends surrounding the origin of Tihar. One of the most famous is related to Yama, the Hindu God of Death, and Yamuna, his sister. It says that Yama and Yamuna didn’t see each other for a long, long time. Yamuna wanted to meet her brother after all this time, so she sent crows, dogs and even cows as messengers. She asked many times her brother, Yama, to come to meet her but Yama never came. Eventually, Yamuna decided to go and see him in person. After meeting her brother, she performed a ritual and worshipped him with a seven-colored tika and flower garlands. She wished him a long, healthy and prosperous life.
Tihar is celebrated a bit differently depending on the community you belong to and where you live. But all celebrations follow almost the same pattern. Tihar starts with the worship of different animals (like crows, dogs and cows), then the worship of the Hindu Goddess of fortune, wealth and prosperity (Goddess Laxmi), and finally ends with an exchange of a special temporary mark on the forehead (tika of seven colors). The last day of the festival is known as “Tika day” or “Bhai Tika” (‘Bhai’ means “younger brother” in Nepali).
Although Tihar is a festival mainly celebrated with family, Nepali culture is so friendly and loving that you shouldn’t be surprised if locals invite you over to celebrate with them!
Day 1 – The Day of the Crows (Kaag Tihar)
On the 1st day of the Tihar festival, crows (‘kaag’ in Nepali) are worshipped.
Early in the morning, families prepare a good meal with meat and grains. Each member of the family takes the first portion of their meal and puts it on a common plate dedicated to the crows. The crows come and partake of the feast.
In the Hindu mythology, crows are considered to be the messengers of the God of Death, Yama. On this day, crows are kept happy in order to avoid misfortune for the upcoming year.
Day 2 – The Day of the Dogs (Kukur Tihar)
In Nepal, dogs have a special day dedicated to them.
On the 2nd day of Tihar, dogs (‘kukur’ in Nepali) are worshipped. They are adorned with marigold flower garlands around their necks and blessed with a red tika on their foreheads. They are offered great meals and treats during the day.
In Hinduism, it is believed that dogs are the messengers of the God of Death, Yama, and guard the underworld empire. They are, somehow, heaven’s gatekeepers. The story in the Mahabharat epic is quite interesting. On his final journey to Swarga to attain the state of God, Yudhishthira lost his brothers and wife along the way, but a dog followed him until he reached the gate. Yudhishthira, then, refused to abandon his friend, the dog, and didn’t want to enter heaven without him. Eventually, the dog turned out to be Yama, the God of Death, who was testing Yudhishthira’s virtues; Yudhishthira had renounced heaven instead of renouncing his friend, the dog, proving he transcended the achievements of the royal sages.
On this special day, people thank (all) the dogs for their loyalty, compassion and friendship. They also pray for the dogs to guard their homes.
Day 3 – The Day of the Cows (Gai Tihar) and Laxmi Puja
On the 3rd day of the Tihar festival, people worship the mother of the Universe – the cow (‘gai’ in Nepali). In Hinduism, the cow is sacred; she acts as a surrogate mother providing milk for the humans.
The cow puja is performed by giving Marigold flower garlands to cows and blessing them with a red tika.
The 3rd day of Tihar is also the day of Goddess Laxmi’s worshipping. Laxmi Puja is one of the most important moments of the Tihar festival. The Goddess Laxmi is worshipped in every Nepali houses in the entire country.
In the evening, puja is performed using flowers, incense, color-powders, bells, and money. Goddess Laxmi visits her followers on this night and gives them blessings. It is believed that Goddess Laxmi will not enter a dark house so people clean and illuminate their homes with electric lights and butter lamps. They also make Rangolis (colorful patterns created on the floor using rice, powders, sand and flower petals) in front of their homes to welcome the Goddess Laxmi.
In the evening, children visit all the houses in their neighborhood to sing Deusi-Bhailo songs. ‘Deusi’ is mostly sung by boys while ‘Bhailo’ is sung by girls. Deusi is balladic and tells the story of the festival.
Day 4 – The Day of Oxen (Goru Tihar), Govardhan Puja, and Self Worship (Mha Puja)
On the 4st day of the Tihar festival, people worship the ox (‘goru’ in Nepali). Oxen are worshiped as they till lands and help crops grow to sustain life on earth. Agriculture is very important in Nepal. Up to 80% of the population live in rural areas and depend on agriculture. That’s why there is a special day specially dedicated to oxen.
Followers of Vaishnavism also perform Govardhan puja rituals to celebrate Lord Krishna who lifted the Govardhan mountain with his hand to protect his people and cattle from the rain. People use cow dung to make Govardhan parbat representing the Govardhan mountain.
The 4th day of Tihar is also about worshiping yourself! This puja is known as Mha puja, and has for purpose to purify the body and empower the soul. Mha Puja is mainly celebrated among the Newar community.
Day 5 – The Day of Brothers and Sisters (Bhai Tika)
The last day of the Tihar festival is called Bhai Tika (‘Bhai’ means ‘younger brother’ in Nepali) and is dedicated to the special bond between brothers and sisters.
On this special day, brothers and sisters worship each other. Brothers sit on the floor while sisters perform their pujas. Sisters circumambulate around their brothers while pouring mustard oil around them to create a protective barrier. They bless their brothers with a special “tika” called ‘saptarangi’; seven different color powders are placed on their foreheads. Sisters give a mala (a necklace of marigold flowers) to their brothers, and wish them long life and prosperity. Then, in return, brothers also offer tika to their sisters.
If you do not have a sister or a brother, don’t worry; you can receive a tika from someone you regard as a brother or sister.
There are so many festivals around the world. Tihar is one of my favorite festivals. And you, what’s yours?
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